We love to talk about authenticity at work… right up until someone actually shows up as their full, messy, human self and makes everyone clutch their pearls. In this episode, we unpack what it really means to be yourself at work with Claude Silver — the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart.
We get into the difference between authentic presence vs. executive presence, why “that’s just who I am” is usually “fear” in a cute outfit, and how to stop armoring up at work without turning every meeting into group therapy. We talk about perfectionism, people-pleasing, power dynamics, calling people in (instead of just calling them out), and what it actually costs you and your company when you leave the real you at home.
If you’ve ever wondered how to bring your heart into a workplace that’s still obsessed with your hustle, or how to belong without shrinking or pretending, this conversation is your permission slip to stop faking it and start leading from the heart.
We Explore:
What authenticity at work really means (and why it’s not “I say whatever I want, whenever I want”)
The difference between confidence and authenticity – and why you need both
How Claude defines authentic presence and why “executive presence” is starting to feel outdated
Perfectionism as a confidence derailer and how it quietly kills trust, connection, and creativity
How to share your real life (kids, chaos, hard mornings) at work without oversharing or dumping
Navigating power dynamics when a client, boss, or leader says something that goes against your values
How to find “your people” at work
Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t being “difficult” — they’re just done with workplaces that value performance over personhood. They expect companies to evolve, not the other way around. If leaders want to keep and motivate this generation, they need to ditch command-and-control and lead with humanity. Authenticity isn’t a bonus anymore — it’s the baseline.
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Connect with Claude:
Book Website: https://www.beyourselfbook.com/
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casilver/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/claudesilver/?hl=en
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